Development of Leading Indicators for a Culture of Prevention: Study on the Leading Indicator "Trust"

Status:

ongoing

Aims:

Developing a national culture of prevention, within the global aim of "Vision Zero", requires leading indicators to guide the process. In Part I of the study, a Prevention Culture Index was developed, based on an international empirical pre-study (NN = 840). In Part II of the study, the focus will be on investigating the leading indicator "trust". Trust forms the basis for relationships between people and between people and systems. Furthermore, trust offers a possible course of action in uncertain and complex situations which are not covered by formal rules or guidelines. The leading indicator trust allows predictions to be made regarding safe and healthy behaviour within a certain situational and organisational context.

The aim of the study is to equip national and multinational companies and institutions with a scientifically based Trust-Assessment. The research project is being jointly conducted by the Institute for Work and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IAG) and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), supported by other research institutes. The Trust-Assessment will be tested within pilot companies in Germany and the Republic of Korea. The aim is to enable companies to further develop their own culture of prevention within a certain organisational and situational context to avoid operational disruptions, work accidents and occupational diseases.

Activities/Methods:

The project will start with an analysis of relevant research literature about the relation between trust and safety as well as the analysis of trust in an organisational context. A multi-method approach will be developed to collect data about trust as a leading indicator. This is based on a methodological approach that has already been tested and the results of the literature research. The multi-method approach will be implemented in companies in Germany and the Republic of Korea and will be evaluated by taking the intercultural perspective into account. The Trust-Assessment will allow companies and institutions to gain analytical access to the basic personal assumptions of managers and staff. These basic assumptions have a strong influence on interpersonal relationships and attitudes towards systems (e.g. an OSH Management System). A Trust-Assessment can make an ongoing contribution to the development of a culture of prevention at organisational level. The Culture of Prevention Index from Part I of the study will be revised on the basis of the results from the second part of the study and will be published as Version Two. The Trust-Assessment developed within this research project will be offered to the companies and institutions of the DGUV and KOSHA. The companies and institutions can use the Trust-Assessment autonomously. In addition, the results of this project will be integrated into the work of the International Section "Culture of Prevention" of the International Social Security Association (ISSA). The project will therefore contribute to the development of a national and worldwide culture of prevention.

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